Server and method for providing vehicle information

Abstract

A method for providing vehicle information, which is carried out using a server, includes steps of: receiving vehicle attribute information including a vehicle type and GPS trajectory information from a vehicle, storing the vehicle attribute information and the GPS trajectory information for each vehicle type based on the vehicle attribute information, generating specialized traffic information associated with a specialized vehicle type needing the specialized traffic information and generating normal traffic information associated with a normal vehicle type, and providing the specialized vehicle type with directions information based on the specialized traffic information, when a current situation is a special situation, and otherwise providing the normal vehicle type with directions information based on the normal traffic information.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A server for providing vehicle information, the server comprising:
 a vehicle information receiver including at least one processor configured to receive vehicle attribute information including a vehicle type and global positioning system (GPS) trajectory information from a vehicle; 
 a vehicle information storage storing the vehicle attribute information and the GPS trajectory information for each vehicle type based on the vehicle attribute information; 
 a traffic information generator including at least one processor configured to:
 generate first traffic information associated with a specialized vehicle type needing the specialized traffic information, wherein the specialized vehicle type is at least one of a truck, a high occupancy vehicle, an ambulance, or a fire truck; and 
 generate second traffic information associated with a normal vehicle type, wherein the normal vehicle type is a vehicle other than the specialized vehicle type; and 
 
 a traffic information provider including at least one processor configured to:
 provide the specialized vehicle type with directions information based on the first traffic information, when a current situation is a special situation; and 
 provide the normal vehicle type with directions information based on the second traffic information; 
 wherein the traffic information generator generates third traffic information to be provided to the specialized vehicle type and the normal vehicle type in response to determining that a predetermined situation occurs where it is not necessary to divide the first and second traffic information. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The server of  claim 1 , wherein the traffic information generator generates the first traffic information associated with the specialized vehicle type, based on a table for the specialized vehicle type and the special situation needing the first traffic information in response to the specialized vehicle type. 
     
     
       3. The server of  claim 1 , wherein the traffic information provider generates directions information about a route corresponding to a route discovery request and provides the vehicle with the directions information about the route, when the route discovery request is received from the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The server of  claim 1 , wherein the special situation is a road congestion situation, when the specialized vehicle type is the high occupancy vehicle. 
     
     
       5. The server of  claim 4 , wherein the traffic information generator generates the first traffic information including a route where the vehicle travels on a bus-only road. 
     
     
       6. The server of  claim 4 , wherein the traffic information generator generates the first traffic information in which a truck speed limit is reflected, when the specialized vehicle type is the truck. 
     
     
       7. The server of  claim 1 , wherein the traffic information provider provides the specialized vehicle type and the normal vehicle type with directions information based on the third traffic information. 
     
     
       8. The server of  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined situation is that a number of probes corresponding to a number of recognized vehicles is less than a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       9. The server of  claim 1 , wherein the traffic information generator corrects a speed of the specialized vehicle type, when a number of probes corresponding to a number of recognized vehicles is less than a predetermined threshold, and generates the third traffic information based on the corrected speed. 
     
     
       10. The server of  claim 9 , wherein the traffic information generator corrects the speed of the specialized vehicle type depending on whether there are traffic lights on a road. 
     
     
       11. The server of  claim 1 , wherein the traffic information generator is further configured to generate the third traffic information by:
 correcting the speed of the specialized vehicle type, wherein the speed of the specialized vehicle type is increased when the specialized vehicle type is the truck or the high occupancy vehicle, and wherein the speed of the specialized vehicle type is decreased when the specialized vehicle type is the ambulance or the fire truck; and 
 generating the third traffic information based on the corrected speed of the specialized vehicle type. 
 
     
     
       12. A method for providing vehicle information, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving, by a server, vehicle attribute information including a vehicle type and GPS trajectory information from a vehicle; 
 storing, in memory of the server, the vehicle attribute information and the GPS trajectory information for each vehicle type based on the vehicle attribute information; 
 generating, by the server, first traffic information associated with a specialized vehicle type needing the first traffic information, wherein the specialized vehicle type is at least one of a truck, a high occupancy vehicle, an ambulance, or a fire truck; 
 generating, by the server, second traffic information associated with a normal vehicle type, wherein the normal vehicle type is a vehicle other than the specialized vehicle type; and 
 providing, by the server, the specialized vehicle type with directions information based on the first traffic information, when a current situation is a special situation; and 
 providing, by the server, the normal vehicle type with directions information based on the second traffic information; 
 wherein the generating step includes generating third traffic information to be provided to the specialized vehicle type and the normal vehicle type in response to determining that a predetermined situation occurs where it is not necessary to divide the first and second traffic information. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the generating step includes:
 generating the first traffic information associated with the specialized vehicle type, based on a table for the specialized vehicle type and the special situation needing the first traffic information in response to the specialized vehicle type. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the special situation is a road congestion situation, when the specialized vehicle type is the high occupancy vehicle, and 
 wherein the generating of the traffic information includes generating the traffic information including a route where the vehicle travels on a bus-only road. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the generating step includes generating traffic information in which a truck speed limit is reflected, when the specialized vehicle type is the truck. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the providing step includes providing the specialized vehicle type and the normal vehicle type with the third traffic information. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined situation is that a number of probes corresponding to a number of recognized vehicles is less than a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , wherein generating the first traffic information includes;
 correcting a speed of the specialized vehicle type, when a number of probes corresponding to a number of recognized vehicles is less than a predetermined threshold, and 
 generating the first traffic information based on the corrected speed. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the generating step includes correcting the speed of the specialized vehicle type depending on whether there are traffic lights on a road. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 12 , wherein generating the third traffic information includes:
 correcting the speed of the specialized vehicle type, wherein the speed of the specialized vehicle type is increased when the specialized vehicle type is the truck or the high occupancy vehicle, and wherein the speed of the specialized vehicle type is decreased when the specialized vehicle type is the ambulance or the fire truck; and 
 generating the third traffic information based on the corrected speed of the specialized vehicle type. 
 
     
     
       21. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor, the computer readable medium comprising:
 program instructions that receive vehicle attribute information including a vehicle type and GPS trajectory information from a vehicle; 
 program instructions that store the vehicle attribute information and the GPS trajectory information for each vehicle type based on the vehicle attribute information; 
 program instructions that generate specialized traffic associated with a specialized vehicle type needing the first traffic information, wherein the specialized vehicle type is at least one of a truck, a high occupancy vehicle, an ambulance or a fire truck; 
 program instructions that generate second traffic information associated with a normal vehicle type, wherein the normal vehicle type is a vehicle other than the specialized vehicle type by; 
 program instructions that provide the specialized vehicle type with directions information based on the first traffic information, when a current situation is a special situation; 
 program instructions that provide the normal vehicle type with directions information based on the second traffic information; and 
 program instructions that generate third traffic information to be provided to the specialized vehicle type and the normal vehicle type in response to determining that a predetermined situation occurs where it is not necessary to divide the first and second traffic information.